Stamping head



W. N. FREED STAMPING HEAD Aug. zo, 1940.

Filed Nov. 22, 1939 l Q En o :.1 I o Mlm-MEQ] UNlTsolSTA'res PAraNT oFFlCE- Patented Aug. 20, 1940 2,212,438V l 'f STAMHNG HEAD William Narmanrreea, mantenerme. ra., assignor f one-half to lilarryMyFreed, Philadelphia, Pa.

'This invention relates to stamping heads and, more particularly, to stamping heads for use in Vprinting serial numbers or the like on slightly irregular, rigid surfaces such as bottles, and is intended particularlyy for use in connection with machines such as that illustratedin my copending application Serial No. 238,021, led October 31,r 1938, for Package numbering or lettering machines.

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The machine illustrated in my prior application is `primarily intended for stamping 'serial numbers on bottled medicaments, in accordance with the requirements of Federal statutes which necessitate placement on the label of each lot of every product of this character of an identifying serial by means of which the lot, although distributed in widely separated areas, may be readily located in case of necessity for recalling a 'particular' lot. 'In addition to the necessity for videntifying such products in accordance with Government requirements, the manufacturer often desires to provide an identification ofv 'nisv own and, since'such products are usually placed incontainers of different sizes, and the manufacturer usually produces a variety of Amedicaments, it becomes necessary that any branding machine' employed in connection `therewith should be readily' adjustable, insofar as the stampingv head is concerned, permitting immediate replacement of any ordinal employed, and this with the minimum shut-down delay inoperation of themachine, which'is usually an automaticldevice receiving bottles from a continuous conveyer andfreturning the same thereto after the printing operation. l

Another necessary feature is that the branding head should be adjustable by an ordinary attendant rather than a skilled mechanic so that the attendant of a machine may make the necessary changes without materially interrupting the operation thereof. V y

The primary object of the present invention is the provision of a stamping head answering all of these requirements, and which may, at the same time, be very readily and cheaply manufactured and will be durable and elcient in service.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in the accompanying drawing wherein, for the purpose of illustration, I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention `and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view illustrating a stamping head constructed in. accordance with my` invention;

necessity of rearranging the entire series.

` Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof, portions of the inking ribbon being removed to reveal the mechanism; f

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the stamping head,

portions of the structure being broken away;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4 4 of Fig. l; A Fig. 5 is a section on line 5 5 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective of a type arm. Referring'now more particularly to the drawing, the numeral Iii designates a reciprocating shaft yieldably connected as at I I with a stamping head I2. As at present shown, the stamping head I 2 comprises a base plate I3 upon which a pair of vertical shafts i4 are rigidly secured. The connection between the head and shaft comprises a vertically-extending plate I5 projecting upwardly from the rear of base plate I3 andy in front of which are arranged a central spacing bar AIl and a pair of dowels Il', both said barand dowels being rigidly secured at their'lower ends to plate I3.' Thedowels I'I-have reduced upper ends IS adapted tol project through openings in the horizontal arm i9 of an L-shapedA plate,

the vertical leg 2B of which has its lowerend in abutting relation to the upper surface of base plateIS' slightly to the rear of shafts I4. A screw 2! directed through the arm I9 and engagin'g in spacing bar I6 removably secures vthe L-shapedy plate in position. This platefhas secured to its vertical leg a pair of spaced cushioning strips 22` of soft rubber, the purpose of which will presently appear.

'1 Shafts If-are each provided with spacedcollars 23 betweenV which these shafts receive the hooked rend portions- 24 of type bars 25. The yfree ends of thesebars vare reduced in thickness and provided with enlarged heads 26 bearingthe type face 2l. The reduction in size of the ends of the type bars is such that both the end portions of interdigitated type bars and the body portions of each type bar series of each shaft I4 will be in face-to-face relation and thus provide mutual support for one another. Under these circumstances, if a type bar of one series is removed for replacement, the bars above and below this bar in this series will be held against displacement by reason of the engagement of 'their head portions between the head portions of associated bars in the other series. Therefore, any of these bars may be vremoved and replaced without the Removal of the bars is accomplished by removal of screw 2l and temporary removal of the L-shaped plate I9, 20 with which the strips 22 will be removed, thus providing sufficient clearance to en,

able independent removal of the various elements of either series.

Movement of the arms about the shafts is limited at a point Where the type faces are in approximate alignment through stops 28 arising from base plate I3. Associated with the type bars is an inking ribbon 29, progression of which may be assured in any suitable manner.

It will -be obvio-us that With engagement of the head with any surface which is slightly uneven (a common occurrence in ordinary bottle structures) the yieldable backing provided for the individual type arms will enable them to conform, as suggested in Figures 1 and 4, and since in the usual bottle structure the unevenness ofthe surface is relatively slight, this yielding coupled with the cushioning effect of the ribbon 29 will enable clean printing in substantially all instances. It

will also be obvious that the yieldable mounting y of the type bars Will prevent injury both to these bars and to the ribbon, thereby preventing rapid destruction thereof.

Since the construction illustrated is, obviously, capable of considerable modification without in any manner departing from the spirit of the invention, I do not Wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1 ,In a printing head of the type described, spaced supports, a series of type bars pivotally engaged with each support, the free ends of ysaid bars being interdigitated and comprising type heads, stops limiting pivotal movement of each of said bar series in one direction, and means yieldably resisting pivotal movement of each bar in the 'opposite direction.

2. In a printing head of rthe type described, spaced supports, a series of type bars pivotally engaged with each support, the bars of each series lying in contacting side-to-side relation,` the free ends of said bars being reduced in thickness, interdigitated, and comprising type heads disposed in contacting side-to-side relation, stops limitingl pivotal movement of each of said bar series in one direction, and means yieldably resisting pivotal movement of each bar in the opposite direction.

3. In a printing head of the type described, spaced shafts, a series o-f type bars pivotally engaged with each shaft, the free ends of said bars being interdigitated and comprising type heads, stops limiting pivotal movement of each of said bar series in one direction, means yieldably resisting'pivotal movement of each bar in the opposite direction, the pivotal engagement between the bars and shafts comprising hook portions on the outery ends of the bars engaging said shafts kwhereby the bars may be removed from the shafts by movement of the bars in a direction perpendicular to the associated shaft, and a removable member preventing such movement of the bars.

4. In a printing head of the type described, spaced shafts, a series of type bars pivotally engaged -with each shaft, the bars of each series lying in -co-ntacting side-to-side relation, the free ends of said bars being reduced in thickness, interdigitated, and comprising type heads disposed in contacting side-to-siderelation, stops limiting pivotal movement of each of said bar series in one direction, means yieldably resisting pivotal movement of each bar in the opposite direction, the pivotal engagement between the bars and shafts comprising hook portions on the outer ends of the bars engaging said shafts whereby the bars may be removed from the shafts by movement of the bars in a direction perpendicular to the associated shaft, and a removable member preventing such movement of the bars. 5. In a printing head of the type described, spaced shafts, a series of type bars pivotally engaged with each shaft, the free ends of said bars being interdigitated and comprising type heads,

stops limiting pivotal movement of each bar of said bar series in one direction, the pivotal engagement between the bars and shafts comprising hook portions on the outer ends of the bars engaging said shafts whereby the bars may be -removed from the shafts by movement of the bars in a direction perpendicular to the associated lying in contacting side-to-side relation, the freev ends of said bars being reduced in thickness, interdigitated, and comprising type heads disposed in contacting side-to-side relation, stops limiting pivotal movement of each of said bar series in one direction, the pivotal engagement between the bars and shafts comprising hook portionsy on the outer ends of the bars engaging said shafts whereby the bars may be removed from the shafts by movement of the bars in a direction perpendicular to the associated shaft, a removable plate disposed rearwardly of said type bars and a strip of resilient material associated with each series of type bars and carried by said plate, removal of said plate permitting individual removal of said bars.

v WILLIAM NORMAN FREED. 

